History & Culture

History

• Historic Sites
• Abraham Presidential Library & Museum
• Historic Preservation Services
• History of Illinois (Illinois Blue Book)
• Historical Maps
• Illinois Digital Archives
• Illinois State Archives
• Illinois State Museums

Genealogy

• Getting Started in Genealogy

Art & Culture

• Art Fairs in Illinois
• Poetry in Illinois
• Film Production in Illinois

Illinois Historical Timeline

• 1673—Louis Jolliet and Father Marquette arrive in Illinois
• 1699—Cahokia is founded, the oldest town in Illinois
• 1717—Illinois becomes part of French Louisiana
• 1763—England receives Illinois at the end of the French and Indian War
• 1778—George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia from the British
• 1787—Illinois becomes part of the Northwest Territory
• 1804—Lewis and Clark expedition starts near Wood River
• 1809—Illinois Territory is created
• 1818—Illinois becomes the 21st state
• 1830—Abraham Lincoln moves to Illinois
• 1837—Chicago incorporated as a city
• 1848—The Illinois & Michigan Canal completed
• 1853—First Illinois State Fair is held
• 1861—Abraham Lincoln inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States
• 1863—Emancipation Proclamation
• 1871—Fire consumes much of Chicago
• 1888—Present-day State Capitol built
• 1893—Chicago World's Fair
• 1900—Completion of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
• 1908—Chicago Cubs win their second World Series
• 1958—Illinois tollway opens
• 1959—The St. Lawrence Seaway opens
• 1970—New state constitution adopted
• 1986—Chicago Bears win Super Bowl XX
• 1992—Carol Moseley Braun becomes the first black woman in the Senate
• 1998—The Chicago bulls win their sixth NBA championship
• 2001—Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated
• 2005—Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opens
• 2005—Chicago White Sox win their third World Series